Supertankers from Iran’s state-owned oil fleet are sailing to Europe for the first time since sanctions were eased last year, as one of the world’s biggest crude shippers moves to step up deliveries.

Before 2012, when co-ordinated western sanctions on Iran’s oil exports came into force, NITC was one of the world’s largest tanker operators with about 65 vessels. The two tankers are currently off Africa having rounded the Cape of Good Hope last week, according to satellite tanker tracking. The ‘Huge’ vessel is south west of Liberia while ‘Snow’ is off Angola. Both are expected to reach Rotterdam early next month. Nasrollah Sardashti, commercial director for NITC, said last spring that his tankers could be sailing to Europe by June, but has had to wait an additional six months for shipments to restart. “We are back in full force now to gain our markets share in tanker shipping,” Mr Sardashti told oil price agency Platts this week, which first reported the vessels’ journey.